All the Pretty Little Horses
by SparklingLetters
Summary: Regina takes little Henry horseback riding. The experience triggers a variety of emotions. A little fluff, a little angst, a little hurt/comfort. Contains Regina & Henry feels and Stable Queen hints.
1. Prologue

"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry, go to sleepy, little baby…" As her soft, melodious voice trailed off in the late evening dusk, the baby, wrapped tightly and neatly in a powder blue blanket, opened his teary eyes and looked up at the face just inches from his own. His forehead was no longer wrinkled in a restless frown. He drew a sharp breath, and a small sob, the aftermath of his recent crying, escaped his curved little mouth.

"When you wake, you shall have… all the pretty little horses…" Gentle and soothing, the melody soared on in the balmy summer air, which was drifting into the room through the tilted window. The baby mumbled and waved his tiny clenched fists about in a playful effort to grab at a strand of his mother's dark hair tickling his cheek. He gave it a rather mighty pull for a sleepy baby, yet there was no protest at his clumsy touch.

"Black and bay…" His little fingers brushed Regina's cheek and came to rest there. She couldn't resist placing a swift kiss on the soft open palm of his other hand.

"…dapple and grey…" Henry's eyelashes fluttered, his pink lips moved in an unwitting munching motion.

"…coach and six white… horses." Henry sighed peacefully; a sign, Regina knew, that he was slowly drifting off. Soon, his light slumber would turn into a deep, healthy sleep.

_Your favourite lullaby_, she thought, _yours and mine both_.

She would continue cradling him gently in her arms until he was fast asleep, as she did every single time. She knew she probably shouldn't – he would get used to it and wouldn't be willing to go to sleep without her later. She knew this, yet she could not help it; she just couldn't tear herself away from her precious baby son. These quiet moments before sleep were so dear to her. She watched him, his eyes shut tightly, his little mouth slightly open, his chest rising and falling in the rhythm of his breathing. Peaceful, content, and safe. Her baby. A lone tear, much like the ones she had previously wiped off Henry's frowning face, slowly trickled down her smiling one.

"Good night, Henry, sweetheart. Mommy loves you," she whispered.


	2. Chapter 1

"Mommy! Mommy, look! There they are!"

"Make sure to keep your safety belt fastened until we're parked, Henry."

Her disciplinarian tone was somewhat softened by the fleeting smile she couldn't quite fight back in the face of Henry's enthusiasm. Henry was shifting restlessly in the child's seat at the back, turning his head in all directions and craning his neck to see everything at once as they were approaching the entrance. Regina pulled up at the side of the road just off the young green hedge. She had barely turned the engine off when the buckle of Henry's seatbelt clinked, the door flew open, and out he jumped on the dust road. Regina paused for a moment, briefly closed her eyes, took a deep breath then exhaled slowly. Here they were.

"Come on, Mommy, hurry up!"

Regina pushed the door open resolutely. The tiny pebbles creaked slightly as her feet hit the ground. To her surprise, Henry was standing quite still now, his head turned upwards and slightly tilted. For a moment, he seemed to have forgotten what they had come for and was deeply absorbed in something else. She followed his gaze and found the object of his interest: the lopsided sign above the entrance held up by rusty nails – probably not for much longer, it seemed. The corners of her mouth twitched. "Just take your time, Henry. Take small bits." She watched his face, frowned and squinting in concentration, she watched his lips move as he muttered under his breath the letters and syllables he slowly recognised. A few moments passed. Finally, Henry's face relaxed into a triumphant grin. He turned to his mother and spoke joyfully: "Storybrooke Stables."

Regina glowed at him and bent down to his level, put her arm around Henry's shoulder, and pulled him close. "Well done, sweetheart! You will do wonderfully at school soon. I'm so proud of you." Henry gave her a happy smile. "And you haven't even seen me ride yet! I can't wait to try! Can we go in now?" For just a passing moment, Regina's expression changed. It was too brief for Henry to notice in all the excitement. Her smile was already back in place when she nodded her agreement, and they walked to the low stable building hand in hand.

As they approached the door, a unique scent hit their noses – a mix of sweat, hay, and manure. "I can smell the horses now!" Henry made a happy little jump and rushed inside past bales of hay under a no smoking sign, pulling Regina by the hand.

There was barely time to take in the surroundings – the peeling pinkish red walls, the smudgy windows, the dirt floor – as Henry disappeared in the first door he'd noticed to their right. "Ah," he sighed. "No horses in here." "This is the storage room," Regina explained, peering in. "It's kind of scary," said Henry in a low voice as he examined the multitude of tools and riding utilities on the shelves and walls. Regina smiled involuntarily. "Only because you don't know what they're used for, Henry. But I know what you mean." A clear neigh from close enough cut through the air. Henry tugged at Regina's hand with renewed impatience. She followed as he jogged forwards, along the corridor, around the corner to the left, and then stopped in his tracks so abruptly Regina had trouble preventing herself from bumping into him.

One next to another, the row of stalls reached to the far end of the corridor. Some stood empty, while others had their inhabitants' heads sticking out into the corridor and sniffing the air curiously, and yet others merely offered a glimpse of a swishing tail, its owner probably too preoccupied or proud to show interest in the newcomers. Henry stared transfixed; Regina knew not to break the spell.

After a few moments, Henry raised his hand and pointed towards the stall immediately to the right, at a dark brown head with a shiny black mane. "That one's called a bay, right, Mommy?" Regina nodded and stroked Henry's head affectionately. "And this is a chestnut," he added confidently, pointing at the neighbouring stall. Indeed, the horse's body as well as the mane was of the same shade of brown with a hint of red. A wide white blaze ran down the middle of his face. The chocolate-brown eyes were fixed on the two of them.

"May I stroke him, Mommy? May I ride him?" Regina, with a somewhat absent-minded look, tore her eyes from the horse. She couldn't help the half-smile forming on her face as she saw Henry looking up at her, his face flushed with excitement. "Everything in due time. You may stroke him – come, I'll pick you up…" she did so as she spoke, "…so you can reach him." The horse turned his ears forward and remained with its head stuck out above the stall door, accepting Henry's clumsy affection. "Try scratching behind his ears. He shall like that." Indeed, the horse gave a satisfied little blow now. Henry giggled. "He does like it!" he said triumphantly. "So now may I ride him?" "Well, Cervantes here is a little temperamental for a beginner, young man. But I'm sure we have one more suitable for you."

Regina put Henry down and turned to the middle-aged woman in faded jeans and a sweatshirt. "I'm Joanna, the owner; we spoke on the phone this morning. We have a horse ready for your son, as agreed. Follow me." And off she was, walking briskly to the far end of the corridor. Henry's face fell. "But… I like this one." Regina crouched down to bring her face level with his and took his hands. "I know, sweetheart, and he's beautiful. But, like people, horses aren't all the same. Some are more…adventurous than others. It is best to start with a calmer one until you learn how to handle an adventurer like Cervantes. Alright?" He nodded, unconvinced. "Shall we go on then? You wouldn't want to keep that noble steed of yours waiting, would you?" That did it – Henry grinned and ran off to catch up with the horse lady.


	3. Chapter 2

Regina stood leaning against the enclosure and watched her son. Mounted on a silver dappled pony, Henry had first been given the chance to get comfortable on horseback, as the pony was walked around the enclosure on a lead rope firmly held in Joanna's experienced hands. Every once in a while, he would look in Regina's direction and wave merrily with a broad grin on his face. Regina waved back at him. Henry was obviously in his element. Joanna was teaching him the basics of steering now. Henry's small gloved hands tucked at the reins. Under the fringe of hair sticking out from under the helmet, his forehead was furrowed in a frown - an undeniable sign of utter concentration.

Shifting her position a little, Regina rested her elbows on the wooden planks of the enclosure. A light breeze rose, ruffling Regina's dark hair, making the dust beneath her feet dance, swaying the treetops at the far end of the enclosure. A ray of sunlight fell upon Regina's face, bathing part of it in light, leaving the rest in shadow. Her face, while still turned in Henry's direction, slowly gained a vacant expression, and her eyes were no longer following him but stared absently into space. The sound of hoofs hitting the ground, the horses neighing, and the bits of conversation as riders passed by didn't seem to disturb her wherever it was her thoughts were wandering. Time passed, slipping past Regina without her noticing.

"…Mommy! Look at me, watch this!" Regina twitched at Henry's insistent call. Her eyes regained focus and immediately landed on him. "I'm riding, I'm trotting!" he shouted proudly. And trotting he was. Regina raised her head slightly and her eyes glistened oddly at the sight of him riding towards her. As Henry approached the fence, Joanna helped him bring the pony to a halt. "The young man here did a great job today." Henry's face was flushed with happiness. Regina gave him a bright smile. "Your son has talent, a natural gift with horses," Joanna continued as she helped Henry dismount. "It would be a good idea to bring him here again." Regina responded with a noncommittal nod. In the meantime, Henry slipped between the planks of the fence and climbed outside. Before she could react, he was hugging her tightly. She wrapped her arms around him and squeezed gently. "Thanks, Mommy!" came his muffled voice. "Oh Henry, I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! And you certainly did great! Now, before we leave, why don't we go and see how your pony needs to be groomed correctly. A good rider should always take good care of his horse, remember that, alright?" Henry looked up at her inquiringly.

"But won't you be riding today, Mommy?"

"…no, Henry. This was your day, and I'm perfectly happy to just know you enjoyed it."

He wouldn't be pacified so easily though. "Why not? Are you afraid?"

She hesitated for a moment before she replied. "Well…yes, actually. A little."

"It's not hard, Mommy, and it's so much fun, you should try it. You always say I shouldn't let my fear get in the way."

"It's not that, Henry, it's…" Her voice trailed off, and the sentence hung in the air unfinished.

"Well, I just thought you could take Cervantes for a stroll. Joanna said he wasn't getting many riders because people don't really understand him, and so they think he's a mean horse but he isn't really. He's a good horse…" Henry's lip trembled slightly. Regina examined his crestfallen little face, then reached out to stroke his cheek. Henry watched her out of the corner of his eye. She closed her eyes for a fraction of a second and sighed. Then she gave a curt, determined nod. "Alright, Henry."


	4. Chapter 3

The horse tilted his ears a little suspiciously as she started tacking him up. He was young and restless and needed his share of skilled riders before he would become the calm and dependable horse casual riders preferred. Joanna had seemed slightly taken aback at Regina's choice of horse but hadn't raised any objections or asked any further questions. Henry was dancing about delightedly as he watched his mother fasten the saddle. "I didn't know you were good with horses." Regina shot him a quick smile. "Ooh, he's got a white sock, too, see?" Henry pointed at Cervantes's left front leg. She didn't look. Something changed in Regina's eyes, a strange shadow of some kind appeared for a fleeting moment, although the smile seemed to be the same. "Just as white as the blaze, yes," she replied checking the stirrups. "So…we're ready to go." She patted the horse's muscled neck. "Have fun, Mommy! I'll watch you!" "Stay right here outside the jumping arena, Henry," she cautioned him mildly yet firmly before she mounted the horse effortlessly.

Henry didn't show any intention of leaving though. Actually, he seemed quite unable to tear his gaze from the incredible stunts his mother was soon performing. Soon, Cervantes appeared as a mere brown smudge, breasting the next obstacle as he left the previous one behind, or galloping wildly across the course, swerving between obstacles, all the while guided by Regina's skilled hands. Gradually, some of the other riders within sight of the jumping arena had gathered at the fence to observe the horse and rider in perfect unison.

When Regina finally approached the arena gate after a good while's riding, she was greeted by appreciative murmur and even the occasional scattered applause. She didn't acknowledge the compliments in any way. Her hair was ruffled, her cheeks flushed, her eyes ablaze. She slid off the horse's back and patted him appreciatively. Looking neither left nor right, she led him out of the enclosure to walk him while he cooled down. She was almost knocked over as Henry threw himself at her in a keen hug. "That was amazing!" he blurted out. Regina returned the embrace with her free arm. She looked around and raised an eyebrow in surprise as she finally noticed all the onlookers she'd attracted. "Thanks, sweetheart. Cervantes could do with a little brushing now. Shall we take care of him together?"

Back in the stall, Regina unsaddled Cervantes. She removed the bridle gently. Cervantes sighed softly. The horse and the woman exchanged a short but intense gaze. She brought her face close to the horse's and whispered something in his ear. He responded by gently nibbling her shoulder. Regina patted him while her eyes searched the stall for the brush she had ready.

"So that's what all those scary tools are for. They're actually to do the horses good, not to harm them, right?"

"That's right, Henry. Why don't you stand here on this stool, so you have a better view." He did so. "Here, this is what you do, see?" She started brushing the horse down with swift, sure, practiced movements.

"Impressive riding out there. Now I see where your son gets it from." Joanne had just emerged in the stall door. Henry glowed with pride. Regina half-smiled and continued to run the brush along Cervantes's sweaty back. "You can just leave the horse," Joanna added. "The stable boy will take care of him."

Regina winced. She remained still for a moment, her face hidden behind the curtain of her own hair as well as Cervantes's mane. Slowly, she turned around and dropped the brush into the nearby bucket. "Let's go, Henry."


	5. Chapter 4

Henry didn't understand what the matter was with Mom. He had this strange feeling that there had been something oddly wrong with her the whole day. He hadn't noticed at first of course because he himself had been so excited and happy. He couldn't quite put his finger on it either. To him, she had been as she always was – she had listened to him, watched over him, wanted him to do his best and showered him in praise and love when he had done so. There was nothing in particular he could say had been wrong. The problem was this funny feeling he had still wouldn't go away.

He went through the events of the day in his mind as he was lying in bed with the lights out. Everything had felt awesome to him – he had got to see the horses and ride, and he had been praised by the horse lady and, much more importantly, his Mommy, who had definitely looked at him with pride more than once that day. He had even managed to persuade Regina to join in on the fun, and he was quite amazed at what a great rider she was – she had never mentioned this before. And she had only taken him to the stables because he'd wanted to go so much. That was weird, Henry thought, because she really seemed to love horses and knew an awful lot about them, so why would she not want to go, or to ride once they were there?

But she had ridden in the end, he grinned to himself, because he had talked her into it. And she had had fun, Henry could see that. Sometimes this strange look would appear on her face, Henry seemed to remember now he thought about it. What was it been? It can't have been sadness because surely she had looked happy – a person couldn't be happy and sad at the same time, could they? But people were strange sometimes, especially adults, and sometimes Henry just didn't get them. Maybe this was one of those adult things.

Then there was that sudden change of plans when Mom had just dropped the brush and left the stables all of a sudden. The horse lady had told them not to brush the horse themselves but surely that can't have made Mom angry enough to just leave. In fact, she hadn't even seemed angry at all. He had watched her reflection in the rear-view mirror out of the corner of his eye all the way home. No anger there, he decided.

But she had had a strange look on her face. The same one she'd had all through dinner, even though otherwise she had been perfectly normal: she'd listened to him retell every moment spent on the pony and even smiled a few times. She'd then made sure he'd brushed his teeth, read him a story in bed, tucked him in gently, and placed the usual goodnight kiss on his forehead before going to bed herself. But she had had this face all the time.

Oh, now he remembered when he'd seen her wear a face like that before! She'd had this nasty toothache once. He'd been frightened to see her sick back then and she'd kept telling him it didn't hurt much and she was ok, but she'd still had the face for days before she returned to her usual self. Yes, that was it, Henry decided, that was the face. Maybe Mom had a toothache again, maybe she felt a little sick. Maybe the riding had made it worse. She'd be just fine, he decided, rolled over to his side and shut his eyes tightly. He was asleep within moments.

It was late night when he awoke to the sound of muffled sobs coming from Regina's room.


	6. Chapter 5

She didn't hear him coming with her tear-stained face buried in the pillow. She just suddenly became aware of the warm touch of his little hand on one of her shaking shoulders. "Mommy?" came his shaky little voice from the darkness. She froze. A dry sob escaped her mouth as she tried to restrain herself from further crying. She scrambled to sit up.

She was grateful for the darkness – at least he wouldn't see the state she was in. She had hoped the sound of her weeping wouldn't carry enough to be heard in his room but obviously she had been wrong. She must have lost control as waves of emotion had been crashing over her like a stormy sea.

"Henry," she whispered but even so she heard her voice break. She only hoped he didn't notice. "It's alright, everything is alright." There was no response. Regina felt the mattress move under her as Henry's weight came to rest on it. Clumsily, going by touch, he managed to sit close to her. Next thing she knew, his arms were wrapped tight around her waist. Regina drew a sharp breath. She mustn't start crying again. She must stop. She closed her eyes and pulled him close, resting her head on his. All was quiet. His breath and her own were the only sounds filling the room. "Mommy… are you feeling better now?" He didn't let go of her. "I'm…fine," she breathed out. "Really? So…I helped?" Regina suppressed another sob. Only this time it was caused by a rush of affection. "Oh, Henry. Yes, sweetheart, of course you did." Her fingers were running through his hair in a soothing manner. "Mommy's fine, please don't worry, alright?" she whispered. She felt his head move in a nod. He kept hugging her. "I will stay here with you tonight," he said plainly after a while. He wasn't asking, he was simply making his intentions clear. And Regina felt a happy bubble grow in her stomach.

They went to sleep like that, Henry cuddled up against her, Regina holding on to him like a lifeline.

Henry never asked to go riding again.


End file.
